How to set up Nextdoor CAPI tag using server GTM

The Nextdoor Ads platform aims to reach local audiences and connect with potential customers in a community-oriented setting. A lot of marketers have found Nextdoor Ads to be an effective platform for promoting products or services.

Just like with any other advertising platform, it is crucial to set up accurate data tracking, which helps analyze ad campaigns more effectively and make data-driven decisions. In this article, we will review the Nextdoor conversions API tag, its benefits and guide you through the configuration process.

What is the Nextdoor conversions API tag?

Nextdoor conversion API tag developed by Stape for server Google Tag Manager container lets you send events and parameters from your website to the Nextdoor server with the help of Nexdoor API. 

Nextdoor CAPI, released in 2023, allows tracking and measuring the effectiveness of Nextdoor ads campaigns. To set up the tag on the server side, you will also need to have configured server-side tracking, which helps get more precise data that is not affected by ad blockers and browser restrictions.

The benefits of Nextdoor CAPI tag

The Nextdoor CAPI tag supports event deduplication, so you can remove redundant events. The tag has all the user parameters required for tracking (plain text email, mobile identifier, IP address, and phone number). Additionally, you can set custom event names with the “Custom” option while configuring a tag. 

What you need before starting

1. Configure Nextdoor Pixel.
2. Configure a server Google Tag Manager container.
3. Set up data sending from the web to the server GTM container. For this purpose, you can use Google Analytics 4 or Data Tag/Data Client.
4. (Preferable) Configure a custom domain that allows you to set first-party cookies.

How to set up Nextdoor event tracking via Nextdoor tag for server GTM

1. Download the Nextdoor CAPI tag from GitHub and upload it to the server GTM container.

2. In the “Tags” section, click “New” and choose Tag Configuration “Nextdoor Conversion API”.

3. Configure the tag. Choose the “Event Name Setup Method”:

Standard - select one of the standard names.

Inherit from the client - tag will parse server GTM event names and match them to Nextdoor standard events.

Custom - add a custom name.

4. Select “Event Conversion Type” that fits your need from the list:

• Website;
• App;
• Email;
• Phone call;
• Chat;
• Physical store;
• System generated;
• Others (if none of the above fits).

5. Add an ID of your Nextdoor Pixel and Client ID (in Nextdoor Ads Manager, it’s Advertiser ID). Also, you need to obtain an Access Token; you can do it from Nextdoor Ads API. The access token is a secure credential that allows advertisers to authenticate and interact with the Conversion API.

6. Optionally, you can also:

• Test Event - mark the event as a test; in this case, it won’t get into the main source.
• Use HttpOnly cookies - if the option is enabled, it forbids JavaScript from accessing the cookie.
• Use Optimistic Scenario - the tag will call gtmOnSuccess() without waiting for a response from the API. This will speed up server GTM response time, but your tag will always return the status fired successfully even if it is not.
• Not set Click ID cookie - do not set Click ID cookie if it was added to user data.

7. Add server parameters from the list, user data parameters, and custom data parameters if needed. You can see the data parameters list, which you can add in Nextdoor’s documentation.

8. Add the trigger for a tag. 

Test the tag setup

Use web and server GTM debugs to test that the Nextdoor CAPI tag is triggered correctly.

To sum up

Tracking the performance of Nextdoor ad campaigns with Stape’s CAPI tag provides more accurate data thanks to server-side connection. The setup process is straightforward and includes a few simple steps. In case of any difficulties with setting up the tag, feel free to contact our support team (available 24/7) by submitting the ticket.